Animal groups
Just as it is possible to increase biodiversity by working with different city nature types, it also possible to further biodiversity by focusing on different animal groups. If you are very keen on getting more bird species in your garden, solitary bees, or bats, there are various things you can do.
The spreading of a species is dependent on three things. Is there a place to live? Is there enough food? And are there any predators? It is difficult to avoid predators as they are part of the food chain and thus inevitably will be present where their prey live, but the other two issues are possible to help along.
Animals need places they can breed and some animals require places where they can stay throughout the winter. Insect hotels, bumblebee boxes, birds’ and bats’ nesting boxes, and hedgehog sheds can be placed anywhere in the garden and they make a huge difference for the individual species and groups.
Animals also need something to eat and drink. Always remember to have a birdbath filled with water in the garden. It provides drinking water (and bathwater) to both birds and mammals. Furthermore, it is important to make sure that there are sources of nectar and pollen available throughout the year, so that the insects always have food. Ivy is a good recommendation as it typically provides nectar in the early spring and late autumn where not many other sources are available. During the summer, a rich profusion of flowers is good. Fruits and berries are a source of food for many birds and mammals especially during the autumn and winter seasons.
The more varied the nature is, the more food is available for the species which are at the bottom of the food chain. And when these increase in numbers and in diversity, there is thus more food for the animals higher up in the food chain.